Namco Arcade

Downloading the Namco Arcade app for iOS devices is a bit like stepping back into an Eighties paradise of slot machine gaming. Actually, it’s not but it is a massive nostalgia trip that, pleasingly, doesn’t always let you down.

The app houses a selection of arcade titles from Namco from back in’t day which number eight or nine or so and include PAC-LAND, PAC-MAN, Galaga, Rolling Thunder, Xevious, The Tower of Druaga, Phozon, and Motos. Frankly, most of these aren’t actually much fun to play - contrary to rose-tinted memory, PAC-LAND is rubbish - but there are a couple of crackers which make this free app worth downloading.

The trick is that you get 10 free credits per day but after that it costs you $0.99 per hit unless you buy them in stacks. The best advice is probably to play the game in moderation and have something else on the side to keep you going. As for the crackers, frankly, spy shooter Rolling Thunder is genius and mercilessly hard. (Tip: duck and shoot works for the first level but after that the bad guys get wise). The other one that’s tough to put down is, of course, Galaga (Don’t forget the old dual ships move) and the app is worth it for these two alone.

With touch, arcade-look controls, it’s not as easy as it was when you were slotting 20ps for a game but this set of titles is one of those that’s compatible with the iCade and, although we didn’t have one for the purposes of testing, it’s plain to see that it would be a match made in Silicon Heaven.

NamcoBandai should be adding games to the Namco Arcade as time goes on. Let’s hope they do. Let’s also hope someone takes the time to clean up the menu screen too.